Liquid diverting apparatus



Sept. 8, 1953 I W. E. PARKS ET AL LIQUID DIVERTING APPARATUS Filed Sept.21, 1951 |I uw, ,259.3 28

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'a'ezgrsf Patented Sept. 8*, 1953 LIQUID DIVERTING APPARATUS Winired E.Parks, Los Angeles, and Harold W. West, Lynwood, Calif.

Application September 21, 1951, Serial No. 247,662

1 Claim.

The present invention relates generally to liquid diverting apparatusand more particularly to novel apparatus for selectively diverting theflow of water in a pipe from its normal course into a second pipe.

In many parts of the United States, there now exists a continuous, or atleast a seasonal shortage of water. This water shortage appears to besteadily growing more pronounced, due to a gradual lowering of the watertable through continued pumping at a rate in excess of the rate ofreplenishment. Even in those places where the water table is notdropping, it may have fallen so low that the cost of obtaining water isappreciable. In these water-short localities, it is essential thatconservation of water be practiced wherever possible. In this respect,it will be apparent that much water is presently wasted by being allowedto enter the drain of sinks, shower baths, bowls and the like. Suchwater, although not suited for re-use in fulfilling human needs, isperfectly suited for re-use for other purposes where purity is notessential. Such purposes may include irrigation of lawns and shrubs,washing various items, such as windows and automobiles and many othersimilar purposes which will come to mind.

It is a major object of the present invention to provide a novel liquiddiverting apparatus which will selectively divert the flow of water fromits normal course, such as the drain of a sink, bowl or the like, into astorage container for subsequent re-utilization. It is another object ofthe present invention to provide a liquid diverting apparatus which isinexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of this invention is to provide a liquid divertingapparatus which may be utilized with conventional plumbing fixtures,

-without requiring other than incidental alteration thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid divertingapparatus which is sturdy of construction and foolproof in operationwhereby it will require a minimum of repairs.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a liquid divertingapparatus which when installed properly will not be susceptible toleakage.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a liquiddiverting apparatus which may be installed and serviced by the use ofstandard tools.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed description of a preferred embodimentthereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a sink incorporating liquiddiverting apparatus built in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on a medianplane of the apparatus of Figure 1, and showing the parts thereofdisposed in their normal or inoperative position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the parts of theapparatus in an operative or liquid diverting position.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof,there is shown a conventional sink IIJ having a drainpipe system,generally designated I2, wherein is interposed a liquid divertingapparatus, generally designated I 4, constructed in accordance with thepresent invention. There is also shown a storage container IE whichcommunicates with the liquid diverting apparatus Id by means of a pipeI8. Mounted upon the sink I 0 is a control handle 20, which handle isconnected by a link 20a to the apparatus I4 It should be understood thatnormally water placed in the sink I5 will flow downwardly through thedrainpipe system I2 into a waste or sewer system. At such time howeverthat it becomes desirable to conserve such water, the control handle 20may be moved so as to cause the liquid diverting apparatus I4 to divertthe water through pipe I8 and into the storage container I6.

l The details of construction of the liquid diverting apparatus I4 areclearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. This apparatus broadly comprises asleeve, generally designated 22, formed with a first elbow 24 in itsupper portion, and a second elbow 26 formed in its lower portion. Theupper end of this sleeve 22 is adapted to be secured to a depending pipe28 of the drainpipe system I2, while the lower end of the sleeve isadapted to be secured to a J-shaped portion 30 of this system. The firstelbow 24 is shown connected to the pipe I8 leading to the storagecontainer I6. The second elbow 26 supports a valve mechanism to bedescribed in detail hereinafter. Both the upper and lower ends of thesleeve 22 and each of the elbows 24 and 26, respectively, are seen to beexternally threaded.

Disposed concentrically within the sleeve 22 is a rubber cylinder,generally designated 32. This cylinder 32 is formed with an axial bore34 and an intersecting radial bore 36. When disposed 3 within the sleeve22, the bottom end of this cylinder is located below the first elbow 24and above the second elbow 26 with its radial bore 36 aligned with theiirst elbow.

There is shown threaded upon the second elbow 28 a mounting element 38for a. generally cone-shaped valve 40. This element 38 includes a recess2 which co-operates with the end of the second elbow 28to-rockably'retainz azball or. spherically-shaped'support 44.Theinnerendoff this supp-ort 44 mounts a rod 46 which extends into thesleeve 22 to about the mid-portion thereof. The distal end of thisrodi'liislpivotally connected to an integral extension 48 of the lowerend of the valve 40. A lever iillis ri'gf idly afxed to the remote sideof the supportM;

Hence, it should be understoodthatnorma-lly thevalve 48 will assume theposition shown in Figure 2 wherein it is seen to be disposed with its itbecomes desii'able to conserve the-water' drain-Y ing from the sink, thelever 50 may beA urged downwardly whereby the valve 40 will be4V movedupwardly to seat against the-bottom end-of the rubber cylinder 32, asshown in Figure 3. In'this manner, the downwardflow of waterv throughaxial borev 3ft will be blociredofil and. thiswater will bedivertedthrough iirst elbow24i, and'4 pipe i8 into the storage containerI8. Movement ofr the lever 58 may conveniently be effected by thecontrol handle which handle is connected' thereto by the link 28a, asshown in Figurev l.

It is of course desirablev thatt'hel aforedescrib'ed liquid divertingapparatus be free` from leakage; Hence, the rstk elbow 2li andthe bottomend'of the sleeve may mountA sealing rings 52" between the couplingrings S utilized to connect the sleeve' to pipe i8 and the J-shapedportionzSU. Furthermore, it is desirable that the upper end ofA therubber cylinder. 32'act as a sealing means between the sleeve 22 and thedepending pipe |82 To this end, the inner peripheryv of the. upper endof the sleeve maybe iiaredoutwardly, as .indicated at 56. Additionally,the upper endofthe cylinder 32 may also Viiare outwardly at this point,as indicated at 58, to conform to the inner periph.- ery ofthe sleeve atthis point. Vif-ithk regardtoY the top coupling ring Sil, its radiallyinturnedl ange overlaps an outwardly extendingradial..

lip 84 formed at theY lower end ofthe-pipe. I8` By this arrangement,tightening the topV coupling ring 68 `upon the upperend,oflthe.sleeve,22 will urge the lip 6@ downwardly against thetop, ofthe cylinder 32 forcing it against theloutwardly flared inner peripheryof' the. sleeve so.

as to thereby effect a seal between the pipe. I8; and the sleeve. Thisarrangement.` also makes-it.

possible to support the. cylinder'. 32 withinthe sleeve solely by meansof thetop couplingring 38'. Hence, at such time as..it becomes necessaryto replacev this cylinder, it is., necessary only to unscrew the topcoupling" ring and liftout thev old cylinder and insert ak new cylinder;

It should be noted that it is not essential that the diverted water flowinto a storage container, such as I6. But, instead, this water may bedirectly carried by a suitable piping system to such place as it is tobe used. It should alsov be noted that the exact shape of the valve 40is not critical, nor is the manner whereby it is caused to be moved intocontact with the bottom end"` of" the; cylinder 32.

It' will beappa-rent to" those skilled in the art that various othermodications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit orthe? invention or the scope of the appended claim.

We'v claim:l

Liquid' diverting apparatus for use in a piping Systemzwhichincludes adepending pipe formed with an outwardly extending radial lip at itslowerA end", comprising: a sleeve adapted to be mounted vertically insaid piping system with its upper' endfsecured to the'lower end of saiddependingpipe, the inner periphery of the upper end of' said sleeveiiari'ng outwardly, saldi sleeve being-formed-witha-rst elbow in itsupper por'- tion and a second elbow in its lower portion, both elbowsand the upperandV lower endsof said sleeve beingv externaily'threaded';top and bottom coupling ringsthreaded upon the upper-and lower ends'offsaid sleeve; said top coupling ring having aV radiallyinturned-ilangewhich overlaps the lip ofsaid depending pipe; asidecoupling ring threaded* upon said rs-t elbow; an axially bored rubbercylinder concentrically mounted within said sleeve with its bottom endlocated below said rst elbowl and above said second elbow, the upperendof said' cylinder being ila-red outwardly to conform tothe -innerperiphery off'said sleeve at this point whereby tightening of said tcpcoupling ring will' urge' said lip downwardly against the top of said'cylinder forcing'it against the inner periphery of said sleeve' so as tothereby effect a seal between said depending pipe-and said sleeve,y saidcylinder also' being formed with a radial bore aligned' with said firstelbow; a

mounting element threadedupon saidsecondlel-V bow; a ball rockablyretained `between said mounting element anrjv said second elbow; a rodextending intosaid sleeve from said'ball; a coneshaped' valve pivotallysecured to the distal end of'said rod; and aV lever aixed tothe side' ofsaid ball remote from saidk sleeve, said lever being movable: so as to4urge said valve upwardly whereby it will seat against rthe'bottom ofsaid" cylinder l thereby sealin'goiTv saidl axial bore'.

WINFRED E. PARKS. HAROLD W. WEST.`

References Citedf in the le of' this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS'Number Name Date 943,755 Morrison .Dec. 21, 1909 1,183,568r` Keevan -vMay 16,1916 1,794,581. Burdick Mar. 3, 1931 1,987,477 Austerweil et al.Oct. 30, 1934- 2,272, 960- YoungA Feb.- 10, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 1,077- Great Britain 1899

